Dear Journal
by Kitsunefan203
Summary: Dear Journal, ever since I could remember, I've had a bad heart, but now that I've started H.S., I can't help but feel that this man beside me is the one that can fill that hole in my heart...AkuRoku
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fanfiction, they are under the ownership of Square Enix/Disney

Pairings: AkuRoku, slight SorRiku, slight SeiferFuu

"_Dear Journal, its me, Roxas, you know, I thought moving here to Destiny Islands where my cousin, Sora, lives would be the best thing ever, but it seems that's not the case in this situation I've gotten myself into,"_ the young teen paused as he looked for the next words to say as he thought over his first day back in school.

It had been almost two years since the teen had been school and there had been many rumors spreading around school about the blonde haired, blue eyed teen; he had come under questioning as to where he had been for two years. There was a question about his health, someone had spread a rumor that he had been in bad health and had to stay in the hospital a lot because of a blood disorder or even heart problems. Some even questioned that he had been running with a gang and now he was under witness protection because he had witnessed something he shouldn't have. Unfortunately, none of these were true, expect for the heart problem; he had been born with a small hole in his heart and it had been a cause for concern since he was little. Doctors had told his parents that the boy wouldn't live past his eighth birthday, well, that was something to jeer at because he had managed to live past his eighth birthday and he was entering his freshmen year of High School at the age of 14.

"_I don't know where to start Journal, the day started out fine, but then…"_he paused as he felt his face becoming flush and hot, _"he showed up."_

The one he referred to as _he _was a fiery red haired sophomore teen who had by some strange turn of events had somehow fallen head over heels crazy for the blonde teen and his ways of showing his new found affection had made the teen cringe as he recounted the events in his Daily Journal. He had begun making a daily log of things that happened in his life in case he ever became famous and when he wanted to make out his memoirs, he would already be a step up on the truth.

There was also another reason, he wanted to remembered by those that knew him if something were to happen to him; he was hoping that he would be making it through High School, but lately, he was finding it hard to keep his problems under wraps.

"Things started out fine, or as fine as anyone would assume, just as I stepped in the doorway to the school, wait, let me start over," the teen mumbled as he placed his pencil on the journal and push himself back from the desk as he leaned back in the desk chair.

There had been more to this saga then he could entail in this small journal; it was time to go back to the beginning from that morning that lead up to the reason the boy was blushing at the mere thought of the red haired teen. The red head that would later haunt his dreams and cause a strange turn of events to incur in his life; the morning was like any day, but today was different for some reason. He had gone to bed with a light headache that he waved off as pre-first day of high school jitters and stressing over the fact that he had no idea where the school was. He was leaving his trust up to his cousin who only lived a couple of blocks away to lead him to school like a lost puppy and then probably follow him around school all day. His heart had been stable lately without giving him any problems, but when he went to bed the night before, he couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of pain tug at his heart as he laid in bed, curling his knees to his chest.

"Just…breathe…just breathe…it'll be over soon enough, it always ends as quickly as it came," he whispered to himself like a mantra as his eyes relaxed from the clenched position they had been as he started to surrender to sleep.

His heart slowed and the pain drifted away as it always did, but his mind started playing games with his dreams as he started to wonder about the darkness of his mind as he always did; he would find himself staring at a young boy with same hair and eyes as him. Each night, he felt he was getting closer to the boy, but as he started to get to the answer as to why he was always clutching his chest and why he had a hole in his heart; he always found himself waking up. Tonight might be different, it just had to be.

"Hi, how are you tonight?" the teen questioned the young boy as he found him playing with a set of toy soldiers; he seemed drawn to those silly things lately whenever the boy came into the dream.

"I'm good, tonight, I think, I think tonight I'm ready to tell you why I have this hole in my heart," the young boy smiled at his toys as he played with the toys, but tonight, they were different; they seemed to be dressed in little black coats with hoods drawn up over their heads.

"Oh," the teen tried not to show the excitement and amusement in his voice, but his attention was drawn to the toys as he started to become dizzy, "So, what's the big answer?"  
The young boy only laughed as he lifted up a cloaked figurine that was holding two key looking weapons in its hands as the other hand lifted up a slightly taller figurine who was wielding a weapon that looked like spiked tire rims; "I thought you knew?" he chuckled as he zoomed the toys around as if they were fighting one another, "Do you know what these are?"

"Um, toys?" he decided to play along as if to humor the boy, "Why do you ask?"

"These aren't just toys, Roxas," the tone of the young boy's voice turned dark as placed them back on the floor and lined up the figurines on the floor in a line, "This is your past."  
The teen, now known as Roxas, grew silent and frightened of the young boy as he stood up; his body was shaking; "What? What did you say" his voice growing with concern.

"Your past…you…Axel…Organization XIII…you can't run from it," the boy pointed out the two figurines that were five people apart from each other.

On the Roxas figurine, a shape of a heart was on the outside of his coat, but in the middle of it, there sat a hole in it; it was the size of the head of a pen. As if by magic, the figurine started to come to life as the Roxas figurine feel onto its knees, clutching its chest where the hole in his nonexistent heart.

The hole seemed to pulsate as the figurine looked to its right as one by one, starting with the first figurine; each of them seemed to fade out from light into darkness, then into nothingness. Its eyes drifted to each as it reached the one known as Axel, this figurine's eyes became soft and solemn as he closed them as tried to ignore those vanishing around him, but he opened his eyes as he slowly walked to the Roxas figurine.

Axel was fading with each step as he passed up, Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, then Larxene; she was a fading memory as Axel started to melt away into oblivion. He kneeled down with what was left of him as he cupped the Roxas' face in his hands, his face was stained with heartfelt tears as he mouthed; _"I loved you, Roxas, I always did, I only wish you had been able to accept that from me…May you find your missing heart in the next life,"_ with those final words…he was gone.  
"HUH! Wha…wha…what happened to me…"Roxas sat up in bed as his eyes scanned the dark bedroom as the slightest hint of daylight cracked through his blinds, a rude awakening to the reality he was in, "a dream…it was that dream again…Axel…Organization XIII…GAH! That's it! No more soda and sugary ice cream before bed."

The clock was blinking "12:00" which was a rude awakening for Roxas as he took a double take and peered out into the blinding sunlight through the blinds as he noticed that the sun was already partially high above the mountains of the Island. A knock came at his door as his mother's voice woke up him completely as he tumbled out of bed as he forgotten that the bed sheets were wrangled up around his waist and feet.

"Roxas, you better be up or so help me I'm going to send in So---"his Mother started to say, but the rambunctious and extremely hyper voice of his cousin pierced through the morning air and his head as the door flung open.

"ROXAS!!" a loud voice from the brunet shouted out as he flung himself onto the blonde teen who was still struggling to get up out of the bed sheets.

"Gah, Sora! GET OFF ME BEFORE I TELL MY MOM ABOUT HOW HER FAVORITE VASE GOT BROKEN WHEN WE WERE 5!" Roxas' voice blared out the threat that caused his frightened eyed cousin to get off him, "Thank you."

"Man Roxas, you sure are a hard case, you need to lighten up," Sora pulled at his cousin's face into a mock smile which earned him a fist being slammed on top of his head.

The two teens played around for a time until the sound of Roxas' mother bellowing from the bottom of the stairs stopped them, "So, what have you been doing these past 10 years?"

"Nothing that would be of any interest to you," Roxas remarked as he got up and headed to his closet to pull out an outfit for the day as he began to get dressed, "Why?"

"I don't know, maybe because ever since you moved away from Destiny Island about 10 years ago, I've just been curious about what you've been up to, there were many times I would have hopped the next plane to Twilight Town been at your side," he grew silent as he waited for Roxas to butt in or tell him that he was just being an idiot, but it never came, "Each time I heard you were in the hospital, my heart broke a little more that the only person I felt was closest to me, not through blood to where we were brothers, but I always felt we were. I would've given anything to have been there for you, but my mom and dad always told me that it wouldn't be in my best interest to go."

Roxas finished getting ready as he grabbed his book bag, "That's why I only saw them and never you…understandable, you were only a little kid and your parents thought it best that you not be there for something 'scary'" he mocked the word _'scary'_ as he made a face and continued on, "there were nights in that hospital, when my mom wasn't able to be there with me, and your folks were back home with my mom…there were times…times when I would cry in my sleep…I hated my mom for the longest time for not allowing you to visit."

The two teens stared at one another, neither making a move or saying anything to the other as Roxas' mother's voice calling from the bottom of the stairs broke the silence as Roxas made for the stairs. Sora knew deep in Roxas' heart all that was in the past and they would be together now to face the future, but that future might come at a price, nevertheless, it was about to be detoured slightly as Roxas headed to the door and opened it to find a silver-haired teen standing on his doorstep.

"Hi, is Sora here?" the silver haired teen asked as he brushed his hair from his face.

"Um, I think first things first, just, who are you and how do you know So---"he was cut off as the brunet came streaking down the stairs at full blown speed as he about toppled the teen on the doorstep to the floor.

"RIKU!" Sora shouted as he running tackled the boy to the floor, knocking the air out of him.

"Umph! Hi to you too, Sora," Riku ruffled the happy go lucky brunet's spiky hair, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm a _friend _of Sora's and he told me that he would be walking a _'guest'_ to school today? I guess you're him."

His smile was contagious as Roxas couldn't help but be amazed by the charismatic charm that seemed to ooze from every orifice of his being, but it was causing Sora to nearly melt like putty in the boy's hands. Roxas could see the image of pure bliss that was etched across his cousin's face, Riku was more then a _friend; _he was much more and that hug was more then just a playful, _'It's been so long, how have you been?'_ kind of hug.

"Right…so, we going to stand in the doorway gawking at one another like a couple of Chocobo's caught in the rain or are we going to catch the…"his words trailed off as he saw a glimpse of red hair riding the street on a motorized scooter, but it soon passed as the sound of the school buses horn honking.

"Come on, Roxas, you don't want to be late for your first day of High School, do you?" Sora clutched his cousin's wrist, dragging him to the bus with Riku in tow.

The bus was crowded with noisy underclassmen all the way up to the ready to dunk you in a trash can the moment they smelled, "Ode to Fresh Meat Freshmen" dancing off your clothes. It was always typical, the older classmen were always willing to pick on the underclassmen; it never changed, he was the new kid each year and each year that he went up a grade he was always the first target.

For some odd reason, it always seemed that a small to large group of kids seemed to know of when doom day was coming. Roxas always was the victim, never the one to rain it down on the others; he missed that chance on the start of 5th grade when he suffered an attack that most feared would be the death of him.

"Please tell me that they've banned trash canning the underclassmen by this point?" Roxas questioned his cousin, knowing full well that Sora was at least a year older then, or at least a few months older then him.  
"I can't say for sure, besides, I've been warned by the Upper classmen to not tell you about whether or not they still are doing it," he looked over to his cousin who got quiet and was sending him daggers with his eyes that read _'When we get alone, I'm killing you slowly and painfully and no one will find the body'_.

"Heh…what can I say, I've been out of the social loop for far too long with all those visits and stays in the hospital since Kindergarten," Roxas sighed as he focused his eyes out on the passing road as he knew it would be only a matter of time before he would reach the High School and his first day.

Well, can you blame him for fearing getting trash canned? My friends and I almost trash canned an underclassmen friend of ours, but he ended up kicking the trash can in the process. Either way, read and review guys, it would be appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fan fiction, they are under the ownership of Disney/Square Enix

Pairing: AkuRoku, slight pairing of SorRiku and SeiferFuu

"Welcome back returning students and welcome new students!" the cheerful voice of the cheerleading squad Captain Selphie broke through the halls as she made the morning announcements, "All students are to report to the Gymnasium for the 'Welcome Back' Message from our Principal, Mr. Shinra, and that means ALL students."

Much emphasis was placed on the _ALL_ for there was as a small majority of students who always failed to attend and like clockwork, they were forced against their will to listen to the same old message over and over, it never changed.

"Heh, sounds like we've got a "Message" to go listen to, come on you two," Riku ushered them to the Gymnasium.

"Hey Sora, aren't you going to introduce me to your little friend?" the sweet voice of the morning announcements girl called out as Sora stopped while Riku just rolled his eyes.

"_Please God, don't make her talk about her summer vacation or try and recruit Roxas for some stupid club,"_ Riku thought to himself as he continued on ahead, motioning that he would hold seats for them.

"Roxas, this is Selphie, she's the Captain of the Cheerleading Squad," Sora remarked with a pained look on his face as he made the hard introduction.  
Roxas seemed to tune out Selphie's voice, he just wanted to concentrate on something else, the one thing that distracted him was the final piece of that strange dream he had been having since Junior High.

It had taken him until now to finally see the end of it. His heart started racing as he felt the presence of someone behind him; a hand began to wrap around his waist while the other placed itself on his shoulder and worked its way down his arm. Landing on his waist; the hands grabbed his small frame and in a small second, he started to spin around so that he was face to face with the person who was coming on as more then friendly.

"Hello there…newbie," the voice let out as one hand let go of the boy's frame and move to the boy's face as he curled the boy's chin in his fingers and the other hand pressed him in close.

Roxas was prepared to remove himself from the equation when the feeling of one of the hands moving towards an unknown place, it could of possibly been up his shirt as he started to blush harder and harder; _"Oh god…oh god….oh god…this guy is making a move on me and yet SORA isn't doing anything!?!" _Roxas mind screamed as he felt something wet insert itself in his head as he soon heard the red head laughing really hard at his reaction.  
"Ha, ha, you were unprepared for that 'Welcome Wagon'," the red head remarked as he fished his finger in deeper as to elicit some kind of response from Roxas, and it worked.

"GAH!! WHAT THE HECK MAN!?!" Roxas shouted and screamed as he ran from the group towards the gymnasium with his face beet red blush.

Sora, Selphie, Riku, and the questionable red head watched in mock shock at what had just happened; it took the others a few moments to figure out what happened, "Axel! Why did you do that? And why do you do it to the new kids?" Sora playfully slugged the junior in the arm.

"Aww, come on, Sora, don't you remember your first time with the 'Wet Willy', you wouldn't let anyone whisper anything into your ear for almost a month," the red head, now known as Axel, retorted as he heard the warning bell and the Principal come on the P.A.

"If you aren't already in the Gymnasium before I am there, you will find yourself in Detention for the rest of the week," Principal Shinra remarked loud and clear, as the companions as was the entire other half of the school.

Roxas found a place to sit; he found a place to sit off to the side and near the Exit if worse came to worse. It was a precaution he was willing to take, but as he sat on the bench and watched the entire student body making there way in as Roll Call was made to make sure EVERYONE was in attendance, he couldn't but feel his heart was feeling funny.

"I guess… it has been a long time since I've ran from anything or anyone save the exception of that g little dog back in second grade, my heart is doing okay for once."

Most of the students had friends to hang out with and like any school, there was bond to be different clicks and it was true here. The Cheerleaders were seated alongside the podium as they tried to wrangle up some cheer and spirit from the students while most of the population resulted to pelting them with verbal and paper, assaults.

"Get off your 'Let's Go' soapboxes and 'Let's Go!' back on with our boring, and unnatural lives," remarked a lilac haired female from the top of the stands as she sat alongside a blonde male who had his head covered by a beanie.

"Fuu, get off your own soapbox and shut up, they aren't going to listen, it'll just encourage them to continue their "Team Spirit" cheering, crap," the blonde male remarked as he pulled the beanie down further on his face to hide his eyes; it was a tactic he was planning to use to sleep through the Message.

"Hmph, says you, Seifer, you're just jealous because _Kairi_ is sitting with _Tidus _with the A.S.B., that's your hang up," Fuu lightly elbowed Seifer in the ribs as she saw a light blush cross his face.

"Shut up," was all Seifer could say as the Band struck up as they played their own rendition of "Hail to the Chief" as the Principal walked in and the Cheerleader's were at it again as they got the students up for the Principal.

It was a half attempt, but as they saw him walking by they put on their false smiles, cheers, jeers, waves, and war hoops. He was impressed by their ability to assemble and welcome him so warmly, but behind all this, was just sneers, glares and halfhearted "Yeah's" after he passed by.

"Thank you one and all; especially to our Number Cheerleading Squad, The Island Girls!" Principal Shinra applauded as he got a halfhearted applause from the students, but the Faculty was just as enthusiastic as the Principal.

Roxas couldn't believe the lack of school spirit this school had.

"Man, I thought High School was suppose to be fun, but these guys make it seem like torture," Roxas glanced about and saw the sunken faces and people wanting to sneak off.

"That's because most of them have already done their time in this stupid school and are ready to move on with their lives or at least make something of their lives," came a voice that belonged to a short haired blonde.

He was wearing camouflage pants, a black shirt with a skull and cross bones and tan pull over vest, "What were you expecting, a land of sweets and sugary goodness to be dancing about the Halls and everyone to be as peppy like the sugared up Cheerleading Squad over there? Man, what a wild notion you had about High School you had thought up."

"Hayner, be nice, as I recall, you, yourself once tried out for the squad to impress Selphie, but look where that got you," short haired brunette remarked as she sat next to the teen as she playfully elbowed him in the ribs, ruffling his hair.

"I told you to never, EVER, mention that one time, ONE TIME, back in 8th Grade!" the blonde, known as Hayner, pointed an accusing finger at the brunette, "Besides, the Captain of the Cheerleading Squad usually goes for the Captain of the Football Team."

It's true, and sadly enough, it was. Selphie was seated next to the Captain of the Varsity Football Team; the man in question was only a sophomore and was already the Captain of the team; he was as it was typically suspected, he was dating one of the prettiest girls on campus. Roxas watched the antics as his attention was drawn to the stage as a boy with slightly spiked, jet black hair walked up onto the stage.

He was a little on the fat side, but held his own as he addressed the students as the Student Body Treasurer as he made an announcement that their Student Body President would be graduating as of this year and they would be holding elections for the next Student Body President. Anyone interested was to come by the A.S.B. room and fill out an application to run and in the next couple of weeks, elections would start running on campus.

"I need not remind most of you, and this is especially important to the newcomers, no dirty tactics such as; bribery, blackmail, rigging of the votes, or any other known tactics will be tolerated, and you few that I know that will pull this know who you are," the boy scanned the audience and a few halos seemed to pop up, "All and all, have a great first day everyone."

"Thank you, Pence, now, I shall be…"the Principal began to say as his eyes fell on Roxas and in an instant, he could tell that Roxas was something special as he motioned for him to come to the stage, "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to bring up on stage now, a young man that I'm sure most of you have heard about. He has overcome great odds to get this far to achieve being here, would you come up here, Roxas?"

Sora, Riku, and Axel finally made their appearance as they snuck into the back of the gymnasium and took their seats among their own grade levels, "Hey Sora, isn't that you're cousin being called up to the stage?" Riku pointed out the dauntingly obvious situation.

"What's wrong now?" Sora sat closer to Riku; he didn't see the connection with his cousin being asked up onto the stage by the Principal, but Riku's foot stepping onto Sora's made it obvious, "Ow, oh…I don't know, I'll ask him after the Message."

He looked at Riku with a look of mock hurt in his eyes as he scooted away slightly away from the silver haired teen.

"Don't be that way," he pulled Sora back to him as he encurled Sora's chin in his fingers, brushing stray strands from the boy's face as the hand moved down and covered Sora's eyes.

Riku's lips brushed against Sora's as he seemed to suckle on the pouting lip that now turned up into a small feigned smile that became bigger as Sora allowed entrance of Riku's playful mood as he softly moaned into it. He disregarded any and all eyes that might be transfixed on them, but everyone was transfixed on the stage as Roxas was introduced to the students.

"This young man was told he would not live to see High School, but through his sheer will and determination, he has managed to make it to this point, I want all of you to be nice to our new student," Principal Shinra finished up his small speech and allowed, the now, blushing and embarrassed, Roxas to leave as the first bell for the start of School and classes rang out through the halls.

It didn't take much time for Sora to snap out of his moment with Riku as Axel tapped him on the shoulder and motioned for the two lovers to move it on to class before the Principal stopped by to tell them to move. Roxas wasted no time in going back to his seat, grabbed his book bag, and now, lost pride as he picked up his things; the slight twinge in his heart before was now gone. There was a crowd in the hallway on the way to classes which made traveling to and from classes hard, but it didn't take Roxas much to get himself in to trouble.

"What the…Sora!" Roxas spun around and was now facing his cousin's worried face as he seemed to look him over.

"Okay, you're clean," Sora cleared his throat as he stared back at Roxas, "Now, care to explain what happened in there?"

"What do you mean, I don't get what you mean," Roxas became flustered as he saw the crowds were thinning out.

"Sora, just calm down," Riku placed a calm hand on Sora's shoulder which caused the brunet to blush lightly, "What he means to ASK is why you were called up onto the stage by the Principal?"

Roxas started to realize what he meant, "Oh that, heh, I don't know, I guess when you are the first kid in the town to be suffering from a condition where you have a hole in your heart and manage to make it this far in life, you get treated like a partial celebrity, I guess," Roxas drew his eyes down; it was never the same, whatever school he went to, he got treated the same way.

"_You know Journal, what I thought would be a great idea to move here to Destiny Island so I was closer to my cousin would be the greatest thing ever, but now, after only one day of being school after almost a year and half in the hospital, numerous surgeries and doctor's visits to fix my problem, I thought it would be different,"_ Roxas paused as he dropped his pen on the desk in room as he wrung the cramp out in his hand; the lighting in his room was getting dim, or maybe it was because it was dragging onto midnight, close to one a.m., _"First, I'm given a Wet Willy by who could possibly be the biggest jerk and joker on campus, forced to attend a First Day of School Message, called up on stage with the Principal…"_

Don't you just hate pep rallies? I always did going to High School, but it seems for Roxas, this was one pep rally he wasn't ready for, or especially a rude 'Hello' from Axel. Well, I hope you guys have enjoyed this so far, at the moment, this story is a WIP, but I'm working on the ending as I can so that's done, I have most of the story written on paper but due to school, family, and other various social and everyday life tends to slow up my stories. So, bear with me and if you can, read and review.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters mentioned in this fanfiction, they are under the ownership of Square Enix/Disney.

Pairings: AkuRoku, slight pairing of SorRiku and SeiferFuu

Roxas' first day wasn't about to end with the interrogation from his cousin and, more then just a _friend_ Riku, no; it was just starting as he headed to first period which was Freshmen English. Once again, he was introduced as if he was a show pony for all to see and ask questions of until he found a seat towards the back, burying his face behind a textbook. He just wanted the day to end, but it was just starting. The next three or four periods breezed by while each teacher just made a minor introduction, asked him if he wanted to say anything, and when he didn't have anything to say, he was told to take a seat.

"_Well, here's hoping the day goes be better then I hoped,"_ Roxas thought to himself as he started to sit towards the middle of the class as he sat through Science, Math, Freshmen Foundations, Issues, Language.

The lunch bell was the next thing to ring as Foreign Languages ended and the teacher let them leave, everyone was in a rush to get in line for lunch, but as High School usually is, the cafeteria was like a fish tank full of hungry sharks and varieties of fish swimming around hungrily.

Old acquaintances found one another and those in clicks sat together as they seemed to shun the other smaller groups formed around them, the new students found their way around easier then the nervous Roxas.

"What is this, a feeding frenzy or a cafeteria?" Roxas asked to no one in particular as if he was trying to break the tension that seemed to hang about his neck like a neon sign.

"Roxas!" waved a familiar hand as the voice beckoned him over to Sora and Riku's table where a young woman with auburn, red hair sat on the opposite side of Sora and Riku.

"Oh, Kairi, this is my cousin, Roxas, Roxas this is Kairi and her cousin, Namine, Namine, this is Roxas," Sora made introductions all around as he got to Riku, who just silenced him with a carrot stick to his lips as he managed to muffle, "Amhn….ynh knyw Rkhiu…I MEAN, you know Riku."

"I'm sure in time, he'll learn who everyone is, Sora," Riku leaned into towards Sora, curling his lips around the end of the carrot stick and nipping off a piece of it, "You know you should chew before you swallow and choke on it."  
All Sora could do from getting flustered and showing how embarrassed he was mixed with the overwhelming feelings coming to the surface was to return the favor, "Then why don't you help me finish it," Sora leaned in and pressed the nipped off end to Riku's lips as he waited for him to accept it.

Riku smirked, "You are quiet the little tease today, aren't you?" he took the nipped end into his mouth as he started to chew it and munch it until he took Sora by surprised as he pressed Sora's head towards his as their lips mashed together as the last of the carrot stick disappeared between their kiss, "Better?"

Those around the two were not affected by it, but Roxas was taken back by the sudden show of affection at the lunch table as he turned away as the feeling of his lunch leaving his mouth was playing on his mind, "Do, do…do they do this often? Or are they just playing around?" Roxas was flabbergasted.

"Oh yeah, they do this whenever they are feeling silly, but I thought you know that Sora and Riku were a cou—"Kairi was stopped by Roxas' hand as Roxas was on the verge of upchucking not only his lunch, but lack of breakfast all over the cafeteria floor.

"I know now," Roxas' face was in a cold sweat as it spread over his face as Sora looked back to his cousin.

"Hey Roxas, you okay?" he leaned over the table and saw his cousin return to eating his lunch.

Things would've gone without incident had it not been for the fact that all grades shared the same lunch period and that didn't help Roxas' as he ate his lunch in silence while the others talked around him. As the others talked, the world around him seemed to fade out so that it was only him alone in his own little world, but it was interrupted as he felt a fleeting breeze picking up his backside as if someone was looking something.

He started to get flustered by he felt the fingers move from the hem of his shirt to the hem of his pants as they started to creep and crawl their way to the front as if they started playing on his button of his pants and then the zipper, his face was growing hotter.

"What are you doing…gulp…why are you teasing me like this?" Roxas softly spoke; he thought he was the only one in the small world as the voice answered him.

"I'm only teasing like this because I'm trying to make you remember what it used to be like between us," his fingers slightly slipped down past the zipper to the hem of the item keeping him from going further.

"STOP IT!" Roxas shouted as he bolted up and he knocked his lunch tray all over the lunch table, most of its contents ending up on the table where Seifer and his group were sitting.

Silence rang throughout the once feeding frenzy tank as all eyes transfixed on Roxas; he was panting hard as he looked down and saw that his pants were never touched, but now, there was something that was going to be touched. Seifer sat up as he wiped off the spilled lunch off his clothes as his eyes looked up; they were dancing with anger and read, "You are a dead man walking as of now."

He walked over to Roxas as the crowd dispersed like the red sea as he started to pound a fist into his palm as he made his way towards Roxas, an echo erupted from his fist meeting his own flesh, the room was silent as the grave.

"Is this your lunch?" Seifer placed a banana peel on Roxas' head and the other hand grabbed Roxas' collar and he wrenched back his fist as if to pummel him in where he stood, "Any last words before I make you eat today's special?"

Roxas' eyes scanned the room for help as he attempted to apologize, but no one came as Seifer took a swing and sucker punched him in between both eyes before delivering a final blow to Roxas' abdomen. The students dispersed as the lunch bell ended and everyone went to their classes as if what had happened hadn't happened; Roxas awoke to the school Nurse lightly shaking him as the end of the day's bell rang out.

"Roxas, Roxas…sweetie, the school day's over, you can go home now," the Nurse saw Roxas slowly open his eyes and sitting up as a hand placed itself behind his back to support him.

"Ugh…Hnn…what hit me?" Roxas cracked one of the two eyes open as his eyes came to rest on the red head from earlier.

"Let's just say, you kinda lost it in the cafeteria and the special of the day got lost all over one of the biggest egos on campus, to say the least," Axel remarked playfully as he helped Roxas up, who brushed him off.

"Thanks, but I think I can handle it from he---"he wasn't able to stand up or see partially out of either eye as he stumbled as Axel caught him again.

"I don't think so, little dude, come on, I'm driving you home" Axel helped Roxas to his car, but Roxas wasn't talking or looking the young adult in the eyes, or speaking to him, "Okay…I guess we're playing the quiet game."

Axel talked about the local hangouts, places and people to avoid if Roxas didn't want to end up like that again, Axel would crack a joke in hopes of breaking the awkward air hanging over Roxas' head. Nothing seemed to work, he couldn't get anything out of him.

"You know," Axel paused as his voice sounded like an adult about to make a suggestion.

"What is it?" Roxas finally asked as he kept his eyes on the passing road outside the window.

"_He speaks,"_ He lightly inwardly chuckled to himself, "Anyway, you know, if I took you home looking like you do," Axel curled a free hand around Roxas' chin as to bring Roxas' face into his peripheral vision without taking his eyes too much off the road, "Your folks would probably flip and starting asking what happen, who I am, and probably starting point fingers at me, saying I'm the one to blame for the black eyes you're sporting."

Roxas yanked his face away from Axel's hand as he tried to hide his face that was now light red from blushing at the touch of Axel's soft fingers against his face, "Make your point, Einstein, you've already pointed out the blatantly obvious that I got my hide handed back to me in a neat little package of two black eyes, what are you getting at?" Roxas snapped as he glared out the passenger side window.

"If that's the way you are going to act about my act of kindness of giving you a ride home because if you weren't aware of it," Axel paused at a red light, "the school buses were already gone for the day and I didn't feel right letting you walk home in your condition."

"_Journal, that red light had to have been the longest red light in the history of man, because no matter how long I refused to respond to his gesture, all he did, was drum his fingers against the steering wheel. I knew he was waiting for me to make the first move by saying something like 'Could you just take me home? I'll deal with my folks later' or 'What are you getting at?', but…that's not what he wanted; he was just trying to help,"_ he looked at the clock on his desk and saw that it was getting on into the evening hours and dinner was almost ready, _"I don't know how to explain it, Journal, but…Could I…Could I be…no, I couldn't be…My cousin has already proven his choice of lovers, but…could I be the same way?"_

Well, no one said the first day of a new school or even new school year was going to be easy, and Roxas learned that lesson the hard way. In any sense, please read and review.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters mentioned in this fanfiction, they are under the ownership of Square Enix/Disney.

Pairings: AkuRoku, SorRiku, SeiferFuu

He placed the pencil in between the spine of the Journal and pushed away from the desk as he went to lie down on his bed as he held up a hand towards the ceiling, he couldn't get over how Axel made him feel. Somehow, he managed to feel a little happy that someone was willing to stay by his side after that, what was his name again, oh, right that big gorilla, Seifer, sent him sprawling onto the floor.

A small smile crossed Roxas' face as he imagined Seifer as a behemoth of a Gorilla throwing banana peels around grunting and groaning like an oversized idiot. Even the simplest of math would probably confuse him. This earned Roxas a small chuckle that almost erupted into a full blown explosion of noise as the sound of his Mom's voice calling him to dinner changed his tune.

"I'm coming down for Dinner, Mom!" Roxas shouted as he got off the bed, turned off the desk lamp and headed downstairs, "_It never ended at that red light…something else happened that would change things, but not that big of a change…not yet."_

The red light turned to green as Axel continued down the street, but he felt he couldn't take Roxas back to his place in the condition he was in as he took a turn down another street. Roxas was still a little unsure about his surroundings, it had only been 10 years since he had left Destiny Island the streets, buildings, and names of places had changed as well.

"Um, where are we going?" Roxas piped up as he saw them heading towards an unfamiliar place.

"Just calm down, I know of someone who can help take the swelling down on those black eyes you're sporting, and if you're good, I'll take you for some ice cream," Axel had a smug smile about his lips as he saw Roxas was less then impressed by his humor as he pulled into an Ice Cream Parlor parking lot.

The building was called, "Island Dreamery" it may have seemed cheesy to the locals, but to the tourists who visited during the summer and winter months; they found it funny beyond anything else. On the door handle, two golden Christmas like bells hung on it to alert the shop keeper to customers and it wasn't too soon before they stepped in that a man with platinum blonde hair pulled back in a rubber band and sporting a less then fashionable, hairnet on his head appeared.

"Welcome to Island Dream---, oh, it's just you Axel, don't you have a shift starting in an hour?" the platinum blonde pointed the ice cream scoop in his hand at the red head in question.

"Yeah, yeah, but I have a friend with me at the moment, once I drop him off at his place, I'll be back to do my shift," Axel's voice was dripping with a tone of _"Yes Mother" _which caused Roxas to softly chuckle to himself as he hid it behind his hand.

Roxas thought Axel didn't hear him, but the sideways glance that shone on his face with a hint of compassion swirled together with a look of happiness; he was happy he managed to make the small blond laugh. The man behind the counter, who later introduced himself as Vexen, took notice of the dark circles around Roxas' eyes; his first impression that crossed his face was that Axel was responsible the new look.

Axel fought back against the man's words as they got into a fight that caused Roxas' soft laughter to erupt forth from behind his hands as he gripped the ice cream counter in an attempt to not fall down laughing.

"Hey kid, you okay?" Axel looked him over as he held a lighter grip on Vexen's tailored collar of the goofy uniform all employees were made to wear.

"It's your fault that he's about to fall on the floor due to delirium from those black eyes," Vexen snapped at him as to get him back into the moment.

Roxas' laughter erupted louder as he lost his grip on the counter and fell onto the floor, continuing to laugh amongst the stares of Vexen and Axel as tears of laughter started to stream from his face, "Ha, ha, I'm sorry…Ha, ha!"

Roxas started to catch his breath as he stood up and wiped the tears from his painful eyes, "So, Axel, you said that you knew of someone or somehow to relieve the swelling on my eyes before my Mom asks why I look like a raccoon?"

"Oh! Oh right! Vexen, do you have something for black eyes?" Axel let go of Vexen's collar and straightened himself up as he got back to the situation at hand.

"Nothing that," Vexen brought up two small ice packs up onto the corner and tossed an apron at Axel's face, "these ice packs couldn't cure, along with an Aspirin. Here kid, take this Aspirin then I suggest you go lie down in the back room; Axel, you can take the kid home after your shift."

Axel looked defeated as he donned on the girlie apron and jumped over the ice cream counter to begin his shift as he lifted up the piece of the counter that was movable as he ushered Roxas to the back room. The Aspirin was starting to take effect as he nearly fell short of the break room couch as Axel helped him further onto the couch as he laid him down and gently placed the ice packs on the boy's eyes.

"Just stay back here, relax, and just, don't try to move around too much," Axel gave Roxas a small smile as he heard Vexen beckoning him from the front, "I'll be back later to check on you and to take you home."

"Axel…"Roxas softly called out as the painkiller started to take effect and was causing him to become drowsy, "Thank…you…"

Axel gave a small smile as he heard the _"Mother Hen"_ beckoning him with his temper flaring as he helped him subdue the rush of ice cream frenzy teenagers mixed with a swirl of families with screaming kids asking for almost every flavor on the menu. Axel and Vexen were on their feet most of the mid afternoon into the evening as the last customer's were given their ice cream, but it wasn't about to end without something uneventful happening.

Seifer and his goons walked in within 10 minutes to closing, Axel looked up from cleaning up a table where a group of girls had shared a Monster of a Sundae Special; they left more ice cream compared to what they ate.

"Stupid Cheerleaders, order something big and then waste almost over half of it," Axel mumbled to himself as he looked up to see the less then enthusiastic Vexen dealing with Seifer and his group.

"Welcome to 'Island Dreamery', what can I serve you today?" Vexen's voice had less then usual enthusiasm about it; he had lost it hours ago.

"Yeah, can I get a double, no, a triple scoop," Seifer pointed at the ice cream of choice as he started to play _"No, no, not that flavor, I said that flavor"_ game with Vexen.

Roxas started to hear the voices of someone about to be killed and it set off Vexen's pissed mood as he was about to leap over the counter at Seifer who was taunting and teasing the pissed off ice cream vendor. Axel had had enough as he threw down his rag as he made his way over to Seifer and his friends as he escorted them out the door and locked it.

"Go home before I call the cops, its beyond your curfew anyway you little punks," Axel drew the blinds down to block out Seifer's rather then generous hand gestures, "He's a bigger jerk with an even more inflated ego outside of school."

"Hey, Axel," Vexen motioned a hand back to the now awake Roxas who was standing in the doorway between the Break Room and the main part of the building, "I think its time you took the kid home."

Axel saw the dozy Roxas, his eyes were doing better now and his body language was telling Axel that Roxas was ready to go home as he grabbed his book bag and sat down at one of the tables; he started to doze off at the table, but Axel knew better.

"Come on little man, you can sleep once you are home," Axel stopped Roxas' head from nodding off as he walked him out to the car; Roxas stayed awake long enough to give him directions on how to get home.

"Thanks," Roxas grabbed his book bag from the backseat and climbed out of the car.

"For what? Its not like I did anything huge, I was just helping out the new guy " Axel looked at him peculiarly even though he knew full well what Roxas meant as a small smirk danced on his lips.

"For all that you did today, even though your 'Hello' was a little more then I bargained for and…for helping me out with Seifer today, thanks, and I guess…"his voice trailed off as the sound of the front door opening startled him as he turned his attention to the open door, "…I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow."

Axel gave him a simple nod that answered everything as he pulled away as Roxas' mom came down the pathway, yelling at him about how late it was, why hadn't he called to say he would be late, but she turned her attention the light circles encircling Roxas' eyes.

"Great, you get to look like a raccoon for the next three weeks," his mom stated harshly as she ushered him into the house where she continued to yell at him in private.

"_So, there you have it Journal, first day of a new school and it was already full of surprises not to mention the fact that a guy I took for a complete and utter jerk, to now…"_ Roxas could feel his face lightly blushing, but he brushed it away as he continued, _"…He seemed to be feeling like more then just a friend…I can't explain it, I guess, I am, this may sound wrong…or just plain silly, but I think, I'm beginning to understand why Sora and Riku are so close…Could Axel truly be what Riku is to Sora, for me?...I guess only time will only tell."_

Roxas placed the pencil down as he leaned back and lightly closed his eyes, but it was lightly painful as he remembered the faint black eyes on his face, "Man, come school tomorrow…I'm gonna be the laughing stock of the entire school, and to think tomorrow is the first day of GYM that we actually dress up for it," Roxas leaned forward onto the desk as he placed his hands to his face as he remembered the past years of Junior High when he had managed to be in school and his first ever prank pulled on him in GYM, "…I just hope no one gets the bright idea about placing a Cheerleader's skirt in my locker…that happened once and I never lived it down…"

His words dragged out as his eyes closed in surrender of sleeping closing over him as he slid down onto his desk and his desk lamp stayed on, illuminating his head like a heavenly glow as he slept on his open journal.

"Roxas, Roxas," came the soft whispered words of his mother's voice as she softly knocked on his bedroom door that opened itself under the soft knock, "Roxas…hey buddy, its time that you were in be…Never mind."

The woman didn't have the heart to wake up the sleeping blond as she went over to his bed, pulled off a blanket and draped it over his shoulders as she gave him a small peck on his cheek, "Good night, sweet heart," his mother whispered as she turned on her heels to exit the room.

"Good night…Axel…"Roxas mumbled in his sleep as he shifted on the open Journal and pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders.

"Axel? Hmph, it's probably that boy that brought him home the other night…," she remarked to herself as she shut the door quietly and went to bed.

As Roxas slept at his desk, he couldn't stop his mind from dreaming as he found himself back among the world he usually found himself in, but this time, it was different. He was among the darkened room, but in the distance, there was a small white door that seemed to call him and as he got closer; he started to feel as if something was on the other side of it.

"_What is that?"_ he moved closer to it and as he touched the polished brass of the handle he became zapped by the mere touch.

"_Simply amazing, Roxas,"_ Roxas turned around to the sound of the voice as he tried to find the owner to the voice.

"_Who are you?"_ his field of vision was covered by a gloved hand as another gloved hand encurled Roxas' waist; he became startled by the feeling as he lightly gasped out in fear.

Something seemed to make him relax in calm surrender as he felt the air of the man's breath brush past his ear.

"_I had hoped you would remember me, but I know it'll be while before you truly remember me,"_ the voice whispered the hot words into his ear as the encurled hand seemed to constrict around his waist.

"_I…I…" _Roxas' voice started to grow soft as he felt the encurled hand moving up under his shirt; the gloved hand danced down to the topping hem of Roxas' shirt as to undress him with more then just his eyes.

"_Roxas…its time to wake up_,_"_ the hands seemed to rake away from his body as Roxas bolted awake to the sound of an annoying alarm clock as he grabbed it and chucked it at the wall.

Bullies, ice cream, and strange dreams; what can they all mean for Roxas, and could he really be feeling something for Axel? Is it possible for them to become more then friends? Find out in the next chapters!

Read and Review!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters mentioend in this fanfiction, they are under the ownership of Square Enix/Disney

Pairings: AkuRoku, SorRiku, SeiferFuu

"HUH! It was only a dream, but," Roxas paused as he turned to look at the alarm clock screeching at him as he flung open his closet door.

The door had a full length mirror, as he took of his shirt; he was fearing the possibilities of the man from his dreams being real and as he looked; he never found the scratch marks which gave him a sense of calming relief; "…but…it felt so real."

"Roxas, come down for breakfast, and your cousin is here!" Roxas' mom shouted from the bottom of the stairs as Roxas raced to get dress and head downstairs.

"Hey Roxas, sleep well?" Sora questioned his cousin as he sat at the breakfast table and watched his Aunt make breakfast.

"Heh, I've slept better, let's just say that falling asleep at your desk isn't the best way to sleep," Roxas stretched as he sat down at the table, but he and Sora weren't alone.

"I agree, sleeping in a bed is the best way," Riku smirked remarking as he playfully eyed Sora, but making sure that Roxas' mom wasn't watching.

Sora lightly blushed at Riku's glance, Roxas couldn't see what Sora saw in Riku, but, he could; he had inklings of feeling it whenever Axel was near him, but, it was faint to no end and it was eating at him. What was it about him that made him feel strange around Axel…it's not like he had feelings towards the guy, or did he?

"Gah! WHAT IS IT ABOUT HIM THAT DRIVES ME NUTS!?!" Roxas shouted as he slammed his hands into the kitchen table; he couldn't stay at the table anymore as he grabbed his book bag and stormed off to the bus stop.

"Roxas!" Sora shouted as he grabbed a piece of toast and Riku's shirt as he yanked him away to catch the bus and to catch his angered cousin.

Roxas was fuming mad as he tried to hide the anger and embarrassment spread across his face as he waited for the bus; it was the longest wait he had ever waited through. Sora and Riku raced to the bus stop, but Riku stopped Sora in midway as he saw someone walking up to the bus stop a few feet from Roxas and once he saw who it was; he decided it was best to wait.

"Sora, there is something I need to say," Riku held Sora's wrist as he held him in Sora in front of him.

"Well, what is it? We need to go cat---"Riku stopped Sora as he leaned in and pressed his delicate lips into Sora's.

Sora could feel his body beginning to melt from the inside as his wide eyed eyes started to relax as leaned into Riku as he started to scream through the kiss as they fell backwards into a bush. Riku wasn't about to stop as he wrapped his arms around the back of Sora's neck and raked his hands through Sora's hair as he pulled him in tighter.

"_This should buy Axel sometime to talk to Roxas,"_ Riku thought to himself as he moaned through the kiss, but he started to groan out as he felt that Sora was getting frisky as he felt Sora's tongue trying to move in.

Axel saw Roxas fuming and mumbling to himself as if he was trying to figure out and reason with himself about the strange dream from the night before; he had pinned the cause on Axel's slight and strange come hithers that Axel seemed to had giving off.

"_Why did I have that dream…what does it mean?"_ Roxas thought to himself deep in thought as he never felt Axel come behind him.

"Well, hello there, Roxas," Axel whispered softly in Roxas' ear as he came up behind him and wrapped his arms around the boy's waist, slowly nuzzled against Roxas.

Roxas gulped hard as he felt his breath drawing out slowly and a small sweat dancing down his face; his heart was beginning to slowly race as he tried to not let his face break out in an apparent blush; "_Why does he make me feel…this way…why is my heart racing…oh God…my heart…I can't breath…I can't breath…I need help…Sora….help…please…someone…"_Roxas words were soft as he heard his heart racing more and more, his breathing was becoming shallow as he moved his hand up to his chest as he tried to calm his racing heart.

"Roxas…Roxas…hey, you okay?" Axel shook Roxas' shoulder as the sound of air releasing from the bus' brakes as it stopped at the stop.

"Sorry about that, Roxas, Riku and I got kind of…caught up in something," Sora started to pick out of his hair and Riku was straightening his clothes.

"Yeah, caught up in one another's arms instead of being here for when the bus came!" Roxas shouted as he ran into the doors of the bus that were still closed as they finally opened and in a rush of panic; he climbed onto the bus in embarrassment.

"Did I miss something?" Axel was confused as he followed Sora and Riku onto the bus.

The bus ride could've been less then uneventful minus the ball of laughter erupting from everyone on the bus as Roxas stormed off into the back of the bus amongst the laughter and fingers pointing at him as he sat down in the back of the bus. Sora, Riku, and Axel sat near each other towards the middle of the bus trying their best to keep an eye on Roxas as the bus rolled on.

"So, Roxas, when's your little date with the bus doors again?" Seifer popped up over the top of the bus seat as he poked a finger into Roxas' forehead.

"Oh come on, Seifer, you know there is no such thing as love at first sight, just first smack of embarrassment," Fuu smirked at Roxas as she felted tempted to curl her fingers in among Seifer's fingers or even cling to him.

She let it go as she sat back down next to their other companion as she tried to get those feelings out of her mind, she was one of the toughest girls on campus; she couldn't let her feelings for the only guy friend she had ever felt this way towards, get to her. Sora fidgeted in his seat as he worried about the lightly red faced Roxas that had designated himself to the back of the bus for the remainder from the bus.

Roxas could feel a light headache coming on from the walk into the doors, but he wasn't going to let it get to him as he looked out the window and waited for it to just arrive at school. Once it made its approach, he made sure he was the first one off and the first to class to hide his embarrassment and the noticeable mark on his head from the door.

"Roxas, wait up!" Sora shouted as he stepped off the bus after several other students as he saw the small blurry of blonde disappear into the crowd, "Man, this is worse then the time when we were little when he walked into the girl's bathroom in kindergarten and he came walking out covered in toilet paper."

"That would be enough to frighten anyone or embarrass the living daylights out of a guy's pride," Riku walked beside Sora to their first period as he glanced behind him to Axel.

Axel was stopped in the hall by Seifer for one reason or another, the sophomore was yelling at the junior as if he was truly enraged about something as he slammed Axel into a nearby locker. His words were heated with Fuu watching on with much gleam in her eyes, but yet, her body language said something else.

"_It seems that Axel is pretty popular with the ladies and after that one night of driving me home from school after he went to work; he got the big burn from his folks. You see, his parents were looking to move up higher in life, using Fuu and Axel to date one another seemed like a full proof plan to sink it for them. Unfortunately, Axel's little detour in life in helping me had cost him his privileges to drive his car to and from School,"_ Roxas paused as he stretched out and went about his studies for awhile before going back to accounting for the day's events, _"…But, why was Seifer interrogating him on the event in question?"_

Could something as simple as helping out a friend be that big a problem for the redhead? Who knew bus doors could hurt that much; well, I decided for this chapter to kind of draw on a life experience I had in Junior High. When I was in 6th grade, I use to stand by the doors that lead into the hall to my class, stupidly, I opened the door and didn't see the metal bar that separated both doors, and whacked my forehead into it. Among the laughing of my peers, I just went on ahead to class even though people were asking me if I was okay, it didn't matter to me.

Well, enough of my old life stories. Read and Review.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters mentioned in this fanfiction, they are under the ownership of Square Enix/Disney

Pairings: AkuRok, SorRiku, SeiferFuu

"Listen up you jerk, Fuu is a close friend of mine and I don't want to see her hurt, and you blowing her off like you did for that little brat I put in his place yesterday is no excuse for hurting her," Seifer delivered a blow to Axel's stomach as he watched Axel lightly move out of place and almost to his knees.

"What reason do you have to worry about her…it's not like you care about anyone else but yourself, answer me that," Axel remarked smugly as he saw Seifer wrench back his fist; he was preparing another strike but Fuu's glance to Seifer was enough to stop him, "See?"

The bell rung, but it wasn't long after that he saw Roxas walking to the Nurse's office.

Roxas felt so embarrassed for the teachers making such a big issue out of one little bump on his head, but he knew that all the teachers had been put on alert just because of him. His heart condition caused him no end of concern from teachers, even the teachers he never had for any of his studies; it was sickening to have everyone worrying about him.

Ever since his first serious attack in Kindergarten after a kid had thrown a ball at him that ended hitting him in the chest; he had a slight attack which started it for all the teachers to worry over him. He would spend the next ten years in and out of the Hospital and as he got older, he and his mom would joke that the Hospital should have a frequent visitor card program.

It didn't seem like a joke when he was in 6th grade when he was getting ready for GYM and someone saw all his scars from all the operations he had in the past. One of the kids got worried and reported it to the GYM teacher. The teacher took it as a possible case of abuse in the home and there was no laughing about it all now; his mom was questioned and it had dragged on very many months.

He never went to school during that time, he never wanted to leave his mom's side with all the humiliation she was getting until it was cleared that she wasn't abusing him.

"_Those bastards…they had no right to assume such things…"_Roxas mumbled to himself as he brushed his fingertips against the bandage on his head as he headed back to first period.

Second and, Third breezed on by like a mild hurricane as lunch came and that was something he wasn't looking forward to after lunch time the day before. Things seemed quiet when he walked into the room and people began to speak in hushed tones as he walked by and some even scooted closer to each other. All he could do was roll his eyes as he found an empty table alone to himself, he placed his head onto the table and just sighed a heavy sigh as he played with his food.

"Is he always like this?" Axel twirled his spaghetti onto his fork and spoon, "Is he always so depressing?"

"Not really, he used to be so upbeat and happy, but I guess since his last little run in with Seifer mixed with this morning unplanned run in with the school bus doors, I guess, High School, just isn't turning out how he had hoped," Sora played with his food while now and again glancing at Roxas.

"Roxas, you okay?" a familiar, kind voice asked as a blonde walked up alongside him as she brushed a stray strand from his face.

Roxas never felt the movement or her hands touching against his face as he laid his head on the table, his eyes were closed and he was softly snoring. He had fallen asleep at the table due to the whack to his head and he was trying to catch up on the lack of sleep he had gotten from falling asleep at his desk last night. His face was almost angelic as his fingers curled and unrolled, now and again, air could be heard leaving his nostrils.

"The first year is always the hardest…I know how it is," the blonde sat down beside him and watched him sleep.

Axel looked over his shoulder at the scene going on as Namine sat with the sleeping Roxas, in his mind's eye; he could see himself sitting next to the boy. His fingers trundled about the boy's golden locks as those fingers moved down to the bump on Roxas' head as they traced the outer edge of it; they then moved to Roxas' chin as he lifted the boy's chin up.

"_The only best medicine is pressure of hot and cold…let me help you with that…"_ his lips would then moved to Roxas' forehead to kiss the lump that he knew would awaken the boy.

He would hope that Roxas would catch onto his hints as he moved to brush his lips with Axel's playfully to gain some form of restitution from his actions, but he knew it would never happen.

Roxas muttered in his sleep as he turned his head the other direction to hide a light shade of blush on his face as the sound of the end of lunch and to move on to the next period. Axel watched Roxas get up and head to fourth period, unfortunately, fourth period was GYM class and lately, he hadn't been looking forward to it because he knew that anything could happen in that class.

Gym was a mix of all grades and after a hard day of GYM with Seifer laying into Roxas with Nation Ball; it was time for the boys to get showered and head to the rest of their classes.

"Five more minutes, gentlemen," the Coach yelled from his office as he warned the boys before the bell would ring.

Roxas stood in his shower stall alone as he let the water rush down on him as he let it plaster against his head, he could care about the rest of the day, but he knew he had to get out of the shower. Unfortunately for him, someone took his towel either by cruel form of a prank or by mere mistake as he started to look around seeing the others getting out and getting dressed.

"Man…this is just bad…I can't go out there without a towel, I could always wait till the others are out and get dressed," Roxas contemplated as he started to see many others getting dressed and the bell close to ringing, "This is just bad…"

Axel was drying his hair out as he stood with another towel around his waist, he could see that Roxas was getting flustered and time was running out, "Hey Roxas, why aren't you dressed already?"

Roxas heard Axel's voice as he tried to hide amongst the fading steam in the shower that was starting to reveal all that he had, "I'm just waiting for the crowd to thin out, I don't like getting dressed around others," Roxas lied to hide himself, but Axel took the hint as he tossed Roxas the towel off his head.

"Here, now, get out of there and get dressed before Coach Highwind gets on your case about now being out of here on time," Axel smirked as he headed to get dressed as Roxas took the hint and did the same.

"_I don't know what it is about this guy, Journal, he acted so immature the first time I ever met him, but it's only the second or even third day of school and he's protecting me from every fall. Every pit fall, I don't understand why he's doing this…maybe…my dream that I've had since I was five is starting to play out again, but this time…"_ Roxas paused as he seemed to thumb his pencil as a light smile played on his lips as he looked at a photo on his desk of he with the man in question, _"…this time…it'll be more then a dream…its coming true…I've just got to be able to see it for what it is."_

Fourth period had done its dance while fifth and sixth were nothing short of boring, the bell rang allowing everyone to leave, but as Roxas headed for the bus; he couldn't help but feel that Seifer was watching him. He decided that the best laid plan was to just walk home today to clear his head after walking into the doors of the bus that morning. Axel had decided to stick behind that day at school to talk to Seifer regarding why he was only picking on Roxas and not someone else.

"So, I got your note in class from Rai that you wanted to see me, Seifer, what do you want?" Axel leaned against the wall of the back alley of the school; Seifer's scowling face was less then an incentive for even coming.

Seifer scoffed as he took one quick glance at Axel as he struck him upside the head knocking the man off his feet for a fleeting second, "Let's just call that restitution for hurting one of my friends," Seifer took another swing at Axel's head, "And that's just because I can't stand your pompous attitude of _'I'm better then you'_ attitude just because you're a rich brat."

Axel was taken back for a second from the lack of vision to his field from vision from that last low blow as he clutched the wall like it was a form of life support as he looked up at Seifer through half opened eyes, "What does it matter to you whether or not one of your own gets hurt…I've never seen you take such a move towards being a true friend to any of your friends…so what if someone got hurt…it's not my fault," Axel tried to gain his footing in the situation, "Fuu…I know you went to Seifer about the other night, but, if you had a problem about it…why didn't you confront me?"

"I didn't think it right for a girl to go asking or even begging for a reason as to why a man she is liable to be wed to, in order to make a deal between their folks was not willing to go through with our date," Fuu glared at Axel as she walked forward, "What were you doing that night that was more important?"

Axel could not bare to look the girl in the eyes, but he had to, "Call it being a future adult…I had work and forgot to call home to let my folks know I had been called in, is that so hard to understand?" Axel asked as he gave her a weak smile as he decided to walk off with what dignity he had left.

One's pride and ego can get one into a lot of trouble, and it shows when ego's and prides clash especially when it comes to something that one person doesn't want and the other is being forced into it all over something as stupid as family pride.

Read and Review.


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